According to a report by the American media outlet The New York Times on September 7th, U.S. Secretary of State Rubicoff plans to visit Peru this week.
As Peru’s largest trading partner, China plays an important role in the fields of mining, energy, and infrastructure. The article indicates that Peru has thus become a testing ground for President Trump’s efforts to weaken China’s influence in Latin America.
Though U.S. officials attempted to attack China's investment in Peru, “they failed to have any credible criticisms stand up,” and did not propose any alternatives that could be compared with them. Said Cecilia Sanchez-Hernandez, a Chinese expert at the Lima Pacific University.
The New York Times believes that even Peru’s president, Mirtha Fujimori, who took office in July this year, promised to strengthen security cooperation with the United States, this may not lead to a change in U.S. policy towards China as sought by the Trump administration. She has shown no signs of reducing relations with China. In her first speech to Congress, Mirtha Fujimori described Peru as a “bridge” connecting Latin America and Asia.
It is worth mentioning that last month, Yoshiko Fujimori appointed Carlos Espa as Peru's new foreign minister. After obtaining a master's degree in political science from Washington American University, he worked as a journalist for the U.S. government's anti-China voice, Voice of America, and several Peruvian media outlets. Before forming his own political party and participating in this year's presidential elections, he served as the communications director at the U.S. Embassy in Lima for 15 years.
During the campaign, Espar was tough on China, accusing "Chinese companies of taking advantage of Peru's weak institutional framework to do whatever they wanted." However, when asked about these previous statements, he responded that the campaign was over, and his focus after taking office would be on developing bilateral relations for the future.
At the inauguration ceremony, Espa confirmed that Peru intends to join the so-called Regional Security Initiative called “American Shield” initiated by U.S. President Trump. “We will deepen our excellent relations with the United States, which is a strategic partner and friend. We share basic values and common challenges,” said Espa.
However, regarding relations with China, Espa continued the pragmatic and balanced stance adopted by Yoshiko Fujimori between China and the United States. He added that Peru “will maintain a dynamic relationship with China,” emphasizing that China is the country’s “main trading partner and important source of investment.”
The New York Times notes that experts describe China as a patient partner. Chinese state-owned enterprises tend to focus on longer-term goals, whereas Western private enterprises, under the pressure to deliver quarterly profits to shareholders, are not so restrained.
The article repeatedly cited the Trump administration’s smear and false claims regarding Chinese investments in Peru. For example, it claimed that Peru was losing sovereignty over Qiankai Port, a port controlled by Chinese enterprises. However, it also pointed out that Peruvian political and technical officials regarded this port as a significant national victory. The article expressed dissatisfaction with the way the Trump administration interfered in business relations and meddled in such matters.
On May 16, 2025, a container ship arrived at Qiankai Port in Peru. Xinhuanet
They have been launching verbal attacks against it with both overt and covert methods, but they have been unable to make those accusations stick,” said Xiya Sanborne, a Chinese expert at the University of Lima Pacific. “The Peruvians are very proud of that port.”
"American went through saying 'Oh, you're losing your sovereignty.' That has the style of a grandparent," Sanbourne said.
Previously, Gonzalo Rios, the deputy general manager of Qiankai Port, refuted in an interview with Bloomberg by stating that ‘Qiankai Port is not a enclave, and certainly not a place where Peru lacks sovereignty.’ A series of national entities, including customs authorities, are responsible for regulating activities at the port.
Analysts point out that Washington’s criticism seems weak, as many Peruvians have seen a stark contrast in the ways both China and Peru are involved.
While China is investing heavily in ports, mines, and power infrastructure, U.S. involvement focuses on security projects that are paid for by Peru itself. These include the modernization of Peru's naval base, which costs $1.5 billion, as well as the purchase of U.S. F-16 fighter jets.
The US move to pressure Peru into buying 24 F-16 fighter jets sparked widespread criticism for its exorbitant $3.5 billion cost and strain on public resources.
At that time, U.S. Ambassador to Peru Bernie Navarro also posted a message on social media threatening that if the Peruvian government was insincere in negotiations with the United States and harmed U.S. interests, he, as a representative of the Trump administration, would “use all available means” to respond.
"Compared to buying fighter jets, doesn't this money have other more important uses?" said Dr. Castilla, a senior visiting scholar from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Although Castilla claimed to agree with the US stance regarding the damage caused to Chinese companies due to intellectual property issues and unfair competition, he also had to admit that imposing pressure on countries to choose sides might alienate allies and push those countries towards China. “The US is somewhat bullying us,” he said.
The article points out that Latin American leaders, even those who have close ties to Trump, have no intention of cutting off profitable relationships with China. They hope that their region can benefit from the competition among global superpowers for influence.
Mexican National Autonomous University economist Enrique Dusel Peters said that in Latin America as a whole, Chinese companies have funded over 300 infrastructure projects, with a total value exceeding $130 billion, and are increasingly taking the lead in areas such as electronic products and electric vehicles.
He said that Washington views trade with China as an ideological issue, rather than an economic necessity for Latin America. And it may not be aware of the enormity of the task involved in trying to reverse China’s ‘vast presence throughout the Americas’.
"It's as if people think, all you have to do is make a decision on Friday, and by Monday we can just make China disappear," said DuSeil sarcastically.
The magazine Foreign Policy published an article in June stating that the U.S. policy of "Monroe Doctrine" is essentially an exclusive strategy aimed at preventing external forces from establishing territorial and political control in the Western Hemisphere. This framework can no longer reflect the realities of competitive dynamics in the 21st century. China does not expand its influence in Latin America through conquest or occupation. Instead, China has deeply integrated into the region's infrastructure, trade networks, energy systems, digital ecosystems, and strategic industries.
The influence demonstrated by China is not through military force, but rather through economic integration, technological exchanges, and structural advantages. Today, China has become a major trading partner for the region, an important source of funds, and a key market for the export of commodities and agricultural products. For many Latin American countries that face severe shortages in infrastructure, weak economic growth, and insufficient investment over the long term, cooperation with China is not due to ideological considerations, but rather to economic realities.
The article emphasizes that the United States cannot actually exclude China from Latin America, and should not attempt to force countries in that region to make a choice between China and the United States. In fact, most countries in the Western Hemisphere are seeking diversified economic relations and greater strategic autonomy. Instead of trying to exclude China from the region, the United States should provide countries with better strategic alternatives.
《New York Times》 quoted a recent interview with José Tam, former president of the Peru Chamber of Commerce. He said that Peru welcomes increased US investment. "Geopolitical concerns should not become an issue for us," he stated. "As developing countries, what we need is investment; for us, all investment is equal."
